Shirley, the third-oldest elephant in North America, has turned 72

Shirley, the third-oldest elephant in North America has just celebrated her 72nd birthday.

Shirley, who has resided at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo in Monroe for 22 years, celebrated her big day at The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn.

According to USA Today, zoo staff surprised Shirley with a strawberry-topped vegan cake, watermelon wedges, rice paper balloons, and banana leaves. And in order to ensure that the birthday girl had the best day, there were also hay bales, bamboo, a birthday banner featuring natural tempera paint, and of course, bananas.

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Per the publication, Shirley chose to eat the watermelon and banana leaves first, before scoffing her cake in one bite - she even saved some icing on her trunk for later!

She then tossed the hay bales into the air and finished off with the bamboo.

The Elephant Sanctuary details that Shirley was captured in the wild when she was around five-years-old. She was reportedly sold to the Kelly-Miller circus, which was traveling through Cuba when Fidel Castro seized power. He held the circus as a bargaining chip for a number of weeks.

Then, in 1963, the circus was able to travel to Nova Scotia by sea. However, while the ship was docked, a fire broke out in the engine room. While Shirley was saved, she suffered scarring to her back and legs and lost part of her right ear.

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In 1975, Shirley was attacked by another elephant while she was performing for Lewis Brothers Circus. Her back right leg was broken and healed crookedly. Sadly, she was used in circuses for another two years, before being relocated to the zoo, where she was the sole elephant until 1999.

The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, which has been active for 25 years, is located to the southwest of Nashville and provides retired elephants with a home, heard, and individualized care for the rest of their lives.

The elephants' contact with humans is limited to as much as is necessary for their wellbeing.

Eleven elephants in three separate habitats can be watched online via the zoo's elecam, which offers a real-time view into what the animals are up to.